It's October

Chapter 3

The dress was as gorgeous as Monique described. It was a flowing gown glistening with sequins, seed pearls and glitter. A bluish glint winking at Maxi from the brooch. As Monique sauntered out of the closet. The dress stretched into a tear drop with a glittering train that followed Monique as she walked. "Wow. You were right. It is gorgeous. Olex will go crazy!" Monique wiped a stale tear from her eye. "You really think so?" "You don't think I've seen Goo-goo eyes when I put on a pretty dress in front of Tom?" "Thanks, Maxi." She reached out to squeeze Maxi's hand. "Now, let's go get you a dress for the Ocean Wave Fantasy Dance." She turned to the closet and changed to her everyday clothes. "What?" Maxi was speechless. Monique was taking her shopping, now? "Me?" Monique exited the closet. "Yes, you. Come on!" Monique dragged Maxi out of the room.

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[14] "That looks Fabulous on you, Maxi!" The girls were at the mall, trying on the dresses, while Monique threw the prettiest ones at her. "A purple gown?" Maxi twirled in the floor-length dress. She was not impressed. Monique nodded. "This actually looks good on me?" Monique nodded again and Maxi sighed. She looked like a purple cup turned onto its lip. The dress was three shades of purple; the darkest purple was the color of the brooch, and the middle of the skirt. The shade that colored the rest of the skirt edged the darker purple and the sleeves were the lighter purple that skimmed the medium purple. "Yup, that definitely suits you." Maxi went back into the dressing room and put on her every day clothes. "What are you doing?" "I'm getting a different dress that I will actually wear." Maxi had been eyeing a particular dress that she saw every time she passed the store since she was seven. She remembered telling her mom "Someday I'm going to wear that dress, Momma." Now out of her fantasy world, she went over to the dress that she had wanted so badly when she was little and now had the chance to buy. Monique followed.

[15]
"You want that dress?" She fingered the tag then dropped it. "It's $200! Are you sure you have enough? I don't think we have enough with both our money combined!" Maxi fingered the lace netting on the cream colored, silk dress.
"I have enough, but the real question is: will the dress fit?" She took the dress off the rack and dragged the dress into the dressing room. Monique watched open-mouthed as the small room swallowed the dream that will come true. A minute later, Maxi emerged. The dress was a serene cream color and was scattered with pink and white seed pearls dangling from fabric dress netting and ribbons. The hem of the dress had tiny seashells embroidered and hot-glued to it. Tinier seed pearls were sewed to the hem as well. The store owner almost fainted in astonishment and Monique's jaw dropped. As Maxi twirled around the racks of dresses, Jay-Dee entered the store. "She looks happy." She gasped when she saw the dress. "You're going to buy that? I saw the price tag when I came in here last. How do you have $200?" "It's a long story." Maxi went back into the changing rooms and emerged wearing her everyday clothes, and walked up to the register. "I'd like to buy this, please." She set the dress up on the counter. "Are you sure you have enough for this, sweetie?"

[16] "I'm sure. All $200 is right here." Maxi set 40 5 dollar bills on the counter. The cashier swiped the tag from the dress on the cash register. "How'd you get all of this, Kid?" "Long story short, I win money by losing races." The cashier sighed, then said "So you bet on the losing racer?" "You could say that." The cashier handed Maxi the bagged dress. "Here you go, you're all set." Maxi took the bag and Monique and Jay-Dee watched her wordlessly as she twirled out of the store, holding the bag tight to her heart.